MEDALS for the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow have been unveiled featuring a world-first inclusive design.
The gold, silver and bronze medals for the event this summer have been inspired by Glasgow's iconic landmarks and coat of arms and have, for the first time, braille and tactile elements.
A total of 215 gold medals will be awarded across 10 sports and six Para sports, when the Games return to Glasgow from July 23 to August 2. Meanwhile, 47 gold medals will be awarded in para sports alone, making it the largest para sport programme in Games’ history.
The reveal took place at a special event held at The Glasgow School of Art (GSA).
Designed in secret by award-winning artist, designer and maker, and GSA artist in residence Militsa Milenkova, the Glasgow 2026 medal takes the form of a Reuleaux triangle.
This distinctive shape sets it apart from any prize medal seen before.
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Meanwhile, the design draws inspiration from the city’s coat of arms and landscape, with the Finnieston Crane and the industrial heritage and cultural traditions that define Glasgow's identity all woven into its detailing.
Talking about the process and her design, Militsa, who is originally from Bulgaria, said: "I really wanted to be involved in designing the medals as to me this place is my chosen home. I wanted to try and portray this into something that will become a symbol for the Games and all the people who take part in it.
"I designed the medal to be a standout edition of the Commonwealth Games medals. I wanted it to be something that the athletes would resonate with.
"When I was thinking about the design, I wanted to try and fit Glasgow into one shape and to do that I was naturally drawn to the symbol of the city – the coat of arms. That’s where I took the distinctive shape from.
"I then started to play around with my ideas, using the Finnieston Crane and the shapes from it and how that also reminds me of the tartan. I wanted to include that as well as it’s a symbol of national identity for Scotland. The triangular shapes that I have on the surface of the medal come from the top of the crane and the texture represents the tartan."
Within the design, there are three surfaces representing the podiums athletes step onto to receive their medals.
The medal is one of several key visual and ceremonial elements of Glasgow 2026 which have been designed and created by local artists.
The official tartan of the Games was designed by Siobhan Mackenzie, one of Scotland's leading textile designers, whilst the Longines Countdown Clock, located in Central Station, was designed by another GSA graduate, Agnes Jones.
Mackenzie has also designed the tartan that Team Scotland will wear across their kit.
The 74 King's Batons which are travelling across the Commonwealth before arriving in Glasgow ahead of the Opening Ceremony at the OVO Hydro, were designed and created by Tim Norman at GalGael, the Glasgow social enterprise rooted in craft and community.
Reacting to seeing the medal for the first time, swimmer Duncan Scott, Scotland’s most decorated athlete, said: “I like the shape of it; don’t get many medals in that shape. It’s really cool and the braille is a nice touch.
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"I get pretty excited looking at medals. They remind you of moments and the memories at certain championships.
“The medal is always the goal of the sport but the medal is so much more than that. People will flock in their thousands to come and watch the swimming but it’s more than just the moment of the swimming. It’s the days of the training, the weeks, months, years leading into that, so for it to be symbolised in something pretty cool like this is quite special.”
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